Mounting attachment for electrical outlet boxes



,Nov.'9,194s. c. w. PALLAS "2,453,535

MOUNTING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRICAL OUTLET BO XES" Filed Dec. 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Attorneys Nov, 9, 1948. c. w. PALL AS I MOUNTING ATTACHMENT Fol (ELECTRICAL OUTLET BOXES Filed Dec 27, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor WPaZ/as H4 (id 75195 A tto rneys Patented Nov. 9, 1948 MOUNTING ATTACHMENTFOR ELECTRICAL OUTLET BOXES Charles \W. Pallas, Elyria, Ohio Applicatio n December 27, 1946, Serial No. 718,659

' 3 Claimsi (Cl. 248-205) This invention relates toan attachment adapted for use with conventional electrical outlet boxes and 'which is capable" of being readily applied to or removed from various forms of'such boxes and which will function for detachably clamping the outlet box to a wall, wallfacingor other surface for positioning the box in an opening thereof. I

The primary object of the presentinvention is to provide an attachment of the aforedescribed character capable of being quickly and? easily applied to or removed from an outlet box and by means of which theoutlet box may-be quickly and easily detachably clamped; to a wall or wall facing or removed therefrom by means-of which the box will be effectively and securelyheld in position in an opening-ofthewall:or wall 'facing when the attachment is in an operative position.

Still another object of the invention is to-provide an attachment having adjustable mea'ns for adapting it to walls or wall facings of 1 different thicknesses. l l 1 Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following: description of" the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is aperspective view-of'a'conventional form of outlet box with one form of the=invention shown applied thereto;

Figure 2-is a similar viewsliowing theoutlet box in an appliedposit'ion;

Figure 3 is a side'el'evational view ofi the box in applied position;

Figure 4 is a front elevationalview thereof; Figure 5 is a view similar'to Figure I showing a slightly modified form of theembodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures l to 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar toFigure 3 and'show ing an outlet box inan appliedposition; with use ofthe form of the attachment as illustrated; in-

Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a View similarto Figure 5 and'of thelocking elementi of the; attachment.

v z y i v a or Referring more specificallyto the drawingsan'd first with reference to the embodiment ofthe invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to LIBLCOIIL ventional form of? electrical outlet box,l designated generally l4, and provided with anopenrfront l5 is illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 mounted'im anzopening I6, of a wall or wallifacing or other structure IT, by means of apreferred embodi merit of the clamping attachment, designated generally l8 and comprisingthe invention.

The clampingattachment lain'cludestwo' cor} responding clamping units, each designatedgenerally f9; one of which is-shown separatelyini Figure 9. base plate havirig an upturned edge 2| and a barrel or sleeve portion 22 extending along a pon- 1 tion of the opposite; longitudinal edge of'th'ebase 201 One endof the base 20 is extendedbeyond the upturnededge or flange 2| andthe sleeve por-"" tion 22 and is provided with outwardly'openin'g teeth forminga detent or looking strip 23. A rod, designated generally iwandforminga part ofthewunit I9: is provided with an intermediate' portion 25 which extendsthrough and is journaled in the sleeve or barrel portion 22. The rod'2 l also includes a substantiallyistraight end" portion 26' which is disposedsubstantially paral lel to the portion 25 and which is connectedtheree to by ai substantially straight portion 21 which merges with the corresponding ends of thepor- The base 20is provided with spaced transverse slots 29 having enlarged ends 30 formed "in thfek upturned flange 2|. An opening 3i in the-base zfl isformed partially in the fiat portion thereof and partiallyin the upturnedflange 2i is located betweenthe slots 29. e o o l H One of theunits I9is adapted "to bedisposed against the top of the box Mandthe other unit [9 against the bottom thereof, with both ofsaid units disposed" adjacent the open end" I 5 and with portions of the openings 3|" thereof= abutting against or receiving outturned anchoring lugs 32 which areapertur'ed to normally receivefasten cured to the topand bottom portions oftheilafox I4 by means of 'screws 33 which extendthrough ings, not shown, for securing"thebox l4 tothe supporting structure I! above andbeneaththe opening IE, but which are not used with" the clamping attachment l8. The units H! are se Each clamping unit l9 comprises a p bottom walls for permitting entrance of the box I4 in the opening I6. The levers 28, which are disposed on opposite sides of the outlet box I4 are thenswung rearwardly through the opening I6 for moving the rod portions 26 into engagement with the back side of the wall I1 and so that the complementary flanges ZI and portions 26 will be disposed in clamping engagement with the wall I'I, above and beneath the opening I6 to thus detachably clamp the outlet box I4 substantially in its position. of Figures 2, 3 and 4. The lever arms 28' are sufficiently resilient so that they can be swung outwardly adjacent their free ends and released into engagement with notches formed by the teeth of the locking strips 23 for detachably locking the portions 26 in clamping engagement with the wall H. To remove the outlet box M, the lever arms 28 are swung outwardly and disengaged from the lock strips 23 and thereafter swung back through the opening I6 to .thus release the box I4 so that it can be removed outwardly of the opening. I

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a slightly modified form of the clamping attachment, designated generally I8A, and including units I9A, diifering from the units I 9 only in that the portions formingthe lock strips 23 are omitted. The units ISA each include an additional strip which is secured separately by a fastening or fastenings 35 to the top or bottom surface of the outlet box I4 behind and slightly to one side of the base 20A of its Locking strips 23A are provided with teeth on.

their outer edges and form looking or detent strips for the same purposes as strips 23 and which are displaced rearwardly, relatively to the strips 23.

The attachment I8A is adapted to be used in conjunction with the outlet box I4 for mounting the box on a wall or wall face I IA of a reduced thickness and in an opening I6A thereof. It will be readily obvious that the locking strip 23A, by being disposed adjacent the rear end of the box I4 permits the lever arms 28A to be latched at a point further to the rear of the box I4 to thus detachably latch the rod portions 26A in a position further forward and thus in engagement with the rear side of the wall "A.

Figure 7 illustrates a variation of the attachment IBA and which is designated generally IBB and including units I 9B, corresponding to the units I9A. Instead of the detents or latching strips 23A which are secured by the fastenings 35, each of the units I9B is provided with a toothed detent or latching strip 23B which forms an outturned extension or flange of an elongated deformable strip 36 which is adapted to be positioned longitudinally of the box I 4 and on the exterior of the sides thereof. One end 31 of each strip 36 is turned inwardly and back upon itself through an opening 38 in the side wall of the box I4, and the other end of the strip 36 is turned inwardly and back upon itself, as seen at 38, to engage aroundthe forward edge of said side wall,

4 for thereby detachably mounting the locking strip 233 thereof on the box I4 and adjustably positioned between the ends of the box.

Figure 8 illustrates an attachment I8C having locking strips 230, corresponding to the locking strips 233 and units ISC, differing from the units H33 in that the upturned flange for engagement with the outer face of the wall is omitted. Units I90 are adapted to be utilized in conjunction with outlet boxes I4C' having separable attaching v flanges 39 which are adapted to engage the outer surface of the wall I10 and which are provided with inturned flanges or lugs 43 through which the fastenings 33C extend for anchoring the flanges 39, 40 to the box MC and for also securing the plates C of the units I90 to the box MC.

The units or attachments I813 and IBC' function I in the same manner for detachably clamping their outlet boxes in a relatively thin wall and in the same manner as previously described in reference to the unit or attachment ISA except that the lever arms thereof engage and are latched in the latch strips 233 or 23C, respectively, instead of to the separate latch strips 23A. p V

Figure 10 illustrates a'unit IQD, which differs from the unit I 9 only in that the upturned flange 2i, thereon is omitted. {The unit l9D isadapted to be used in conjunction with the outlet box MC having the wall engaging flanges 39, M and is intended to be secured to the outlet box and to the flanges in the same manner as previously described and as illustrated in Figure 8.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 illustrate various forms of teeth that may be provided for the locking strips m lieu of the teeth as illustrated in the strips 23,23A, 23B and 23C.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims, 1 I claim as my invention: l. A clamping attachment for use with an. electrical outlet box comprising a pair of corresponding units each including a base having means for detachably and adjustably securing it to the outer side of a wall of an outlet box, adjacent the open end of said box, each base being provided withan outturned flange adapted to engage the front side of a wall, adjacent an Opening inwhich the box is adapted to be detachably mounted, each unit including a lever arm having an angularly disposed portion journaled in a pore tion of the base and a wall engaging portion disposed to be moved into engagement with the back side'of the wall when the lever arm is swung in one direction and a toothed locking strip associated with each of the base portions of said units, each of the locking strips being detachably and adjustably engaged by the lever arm of the other unit for releasably retaining the wall engaging portion thereof in engagement with the wall and on the opposite side thereof to said flanges, the locking strip of each unit constituting an integral extension of one end of the base portion of said unit. a

2. A clamping attachment for use with an electrical outlet box comprising a pair of corresponding units each including a base having means for detachably and adjustably securing it to the outer side of a Wall of an outlet box. adjacent the open end of said box; each base being provided with an outturned flange adapted to en-- gage the front side of a wall, adjacent an opening in which the box is adapted to be detachably mounted, each unit including a lever arm having an angularly disposed portion journaled in a portion of the base and a wall engaging portion disposed to be moved into engagement with the back side of the wall when the lever arm is swung in one direction and a toothed locking strip associated with each of the base portions of said units, each of the locking strips being detachably and adjustably engaged by the lever arm of the other unit for releasably retaining the wall engaging portion thereof in engagement with the wall and on the opposite side thereof to said flanges, said locking strips being disposed on the exteriors of the top and bottom surfaces of the outlet box and rearwardly of and to one side of their associated base portions and being detachably secured thereto for receiving and adjustably engaging the lever arm of the other attachment unit.

3. A clamping attachment for use with an electrical outlet box comprising a pair of corresponding units each including a base having means for detachably and adjustably seeming it to the outer side of a wall of an outlet box, adjacent the open end of said box, each base being provided with an outturned flange adapted to engage the front side of a wall, adjacent an opening in which the box is adapted to be detachably mounted, each unit including a lever arm having an angularly disposed portion journaled in a portion of the base and a Wall engaging portion disposed to be moved into engagement with the back side of the wall when the lever arm is swung in one direction and a toothed locking strip assoiated with each of the base portions of said units, each of the locking strips being detachably and adjustably engaged by the lever arm of the other unit for releasably retaining the wall engaging portion thereof in engagement with the Wall and on the opposite side thereof to said flanges, said locking strips forming outturned flanges of elongated, deformable strips, said strips being disposed along the exteriors of the sides of the outlet box and having corresponding ends adapted to be turned inwardly and back upon themselves through openings in said side Walls and opposite ends adapted to be turned inwardly and back upon themselves around the open front of the box, for detachably and adjustably supporting the locking strips relatively to the sides of the box.

CHARLES W. PALLAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1 1,793,187 Neall "Feb. 17, 1931 2,155,627 Welch Apr. 25, 1939 

